Trim panel and fastener therefor



Dec. 27,1938. H. J. WOODALL vf2,141,500

TRIM PANEL ND FASTENER THEREFOR Filed May 3l, 1955 NVENTOR.

efbef c/ wooda/z ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 27, 1938 niet TRIM PANEL ANDl FASTENER THEREFOR Herbert J. Woodall, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Woodall Industries Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application May 31, 1935, SerialNo. 24,297

3 Claims.

My invention relates tofimprovements in trim panel constructions and particularly to improved means whereby such panels may be secured to a supporting frame or the like.

An object is to provide an improved trim panel having suitable fastening means whereby it may be quickly and detachably secured to a supporting frame adapted to carry the panel. meritorious feature is that the fastening means `is of such a character and so secured to the panel as not to interfere with the covering` of the outer face of the panel with upholstery cloth. Neither do the fastening devices tend to produce protrusions cf the cloth if the cloth is secured to the outer face of the panel without the intervention of wadding thereunderneath. Furthermore, the fasteners are so constructed and secured to the panel as to be adapted to fold and to lie flat against the panel and preferably within the thickness thereof so that a plurality of panels so equipped with fasteners may be stacked for 'storage or shipment without interference by the fasteners.

An important characteristic of my invention is that the fastener may be attached to the panel foundation board before the same is trimmed With cloth forming a permanent part thereof. The foundation board may then be covered with cloth. The panels with fasteners attached may be stacked or shipped as the fasteners are adapted to be disposed so as not to interfere with such handling. When it is desired to attach a panel so equipped with fasteners to its supporting frame the fasteners may be quickly adjusted for engagement with the supporting frame.

A meritorious feature is that the panel is provided with recesses within which the fasteners are adapted to lie fiat preferably within the thickness of the panel board, and are so supported therein as to be capable of being elevated to a position extending rearwardly from the panel to lengage with the supporting frame. These recesses preferably extend as apertures through the foundation boardof the panel and the fasteners, one for each aperture, are secured to the front face of the panel by suitable supporting means which bridges the aperture through the panel board and lies flush with the front face of the panel providing a smooth outer panel board surface over which the upholstery cloth is spread.

An important characteristic of my invention resides in the provision of a fastener structure which includes a disc member adapted to be secured to the front face of a foundation panel and This Incorporated, Detroit,

fastener device is pivotally slidably secured to the disc to be depressed to lie flat thereagainst, preferably within the thickness of the foundation panel, or to be elevated to project rearwardly from the disc and substantially normal thereto for releasable engagement With a supporting frame intended to serve as a support for the panel. The spring fastener is so secured to the disc that when raised to the elevated position it is capable of oating adjustment with respect to the disc to align itself with .the provided apertures in the supporting frame.

An important feature of my invention is that the spring fastener itself is provided with a base Which is secured to the disc that is attached to thefpanel by means which permits slidable and pivotal movement of the spring fastener while releasably retaining thesame at either the elevated or depressed position. The spring fastener is provided with a pair of arms which f project from the plane of the disc which are adapted to be received within a provided aperture in the supportingframe as shown and the spring fastener itself may be formed of spring metal bent to provide a loop .arranged within the plane of the arms and from which they diverge to a point of maximum divergence intermediate their endsl and from which point of maximum divergence they converge toward their opposite ends.

vOther objects, advantages, and meritorious features of my invention Will more fully appear from the following specification, appended claims,` and accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l'is an elevation of a fragment of a panel embodying my invention and illustrating my improved fastener ina position of non-use,

Fig. 2 is a plan of thefastener structure partly in section showing the fastener positioned for use,

Fig. 3 is a cross section through the structure shown in Fig. 1 on the line 3 3,

Fig. 4 is a cross section through the panel shown in 1 but taken at right angles to the view of Fig.

Fig. 5 illustrates a modied form of spring fastener,

Fig. 6 illustrates a second modified form of spring fastener, and

Fig. 7 illustrates a third modified form of spring fastener.

In attaching upholstered trim panels to the interior of automobile ubod-ies it is desirable to have the attachment made inxsuch a manner that the panel is held securelyin place and preferably is capable of being detached for replacement and it is also desirable under certain circumstances to have the structure so formed that panels may be completely trimmed with the upholstery cloth and stacked for storage and shipment and be ready for attachment to the supporting framework of the body without removal of the upholstery cloth for the attachment of fasteners to the foundation board of the panel. One method Y of accomplishing this result is to provide panels so constructed that fasteners may be attached thereto from the rear after the upholstery cloth has been applied to the front face thereof. A second method is to provide the foundation panels with fasteners secured thereto before the application of the upholstery cloth and then to apply the upholstery material over the front face. A disadvantage of this second practice is that the fastening devices protrude from the rear face of the panel and in the shipment of panels interfere with their stacking. Y

In the construction here illustrated the fasteners are adapted to be attached to the foun- V dation panels before the upholstery cloth but the fastener and panel construction is of such a character that the fasteners may be folded or swung to a position substantially within the plane of the panel board. They occupy this position when they are not in use. The panels may therefore piled flat and arranged for shipment without interference in any way by the fasteners. When the panels are to be attached to the framework of the 1cody the fasteners may be elevated to a position ofV use and servertheir normal intended function. The construction is such that the fastener is Vreleasably retained either in the position of non use or the position of use to which they have been adjusted against accidental displacement.

in the construction shown the panel board is indicated as l!) and it is provided Von its YfrontV face with upholstery cloth l2. The fasteners are arranged in a line along a margin of the panel.

A complete panel is not shown in the drawing but Y the construction thereof is well understood. A portion of the supporting framework o f the body illustrated as lli. This framework which'at present is formed of sheet metal is provided with apertures i6 to receive fastening devicesrcarried by the panel ID. The panel board is generally formed of suitable composition fiber board of a character possessing sufficient strength and rigidity and othernecessary characteristics to serve its purpose. I provide the panel board with a plurality of apertures arranged along the margin which is to be attached to the frame. One of these apertures is indicated as I8j. ItI will be understood thatrthe description of the construction of the single fastening device and its relationship with the panel applies to the plurality of devices which are carried by the panel.

The panel foundation is provided with an aperture i3 which preferably is formed so as to provide a countersunk area surrounding the same on the front face of the panel as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4. The fastener construction is such that it is secured to the front face of the panel within this countersunk area and the fastener device itself is adapted when not in use to lie within the aperture I8 substantially within thel plane of the panel board. When the fastener is intended to be used to attach the panel to thev framework it is elevated to a position such as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 1 illustrates it in its depressed position.

The fastener structure comprises a disc or plate 2i@ which is provided'with a plurality of marginal tangs 22. This disc is secured to the front face of the panel seated within the countersunk portion above referred to and the tangsare projected into the structure of the panel board as shown in Fig. 3 to secure the discs in place. It will be evident that the disc bridges the aperture on the front face of the panel so that the upholstery cloth l2 is supported by theV disc over the area of the panel forming a smooth, unbroken, surface on the front face of the panel. This disc is provided on its rear face with suitable means for supporting a spring fastener element. In the construction shown in the first four figures of the drawing this spring fastener element is illustrated'as formed of spring wire bent to provide a loop portion 24 arranged within the plane of two spring arms 26, which arms are formed as continuations of theloop. These arms converge at their ends opposite the loop as shown and have a point of maximum divergence intermediate their outer ends and the loop ends are adapted to be received Within the aperture i6 in the supporting framework I as shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 3 illustrates the initial entrance of the fastener to the aperture IG. It will be apparent that continued movement ofthe arms toward the aperture will eventually bring the panel board Ill into juxtaposition tothe supporting frame Hl and it will beheld tightly in such position by the spring fastener while detachment thereof will be permitted Vby withdrawal of the fastener.

This fastener is secured to the disc a suitable manner. As illustrated this is accomplished by a spring clipl 255 which may be spot welded to the disc at 3i) as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 4 of the drawing. The opposite'end of the clip provided with a hook `which is received underneath a finger portion 32 formed from the disc as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 4. The clip or Varm Zrmay be formed as illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 4 provided with a curved portion 3a adjacent one end and Vwith a slightly elevated portion 38 adjacent the opposite end, said two portions being separated by a depressed portion as shown particularly in Fig. 4. The base of the spring fastener is slidaloly pivotally received underneath the spring arm 23 so that the fastener may assume the position shown in Fig. l wherein the same is folded flat against the disc. The portion 3s of the spring arm is of suicient dimension to receive the base in this folded relationship. This is the position the fastener will assume when the panels are being handled or stored. When they are desired for use the spring fastener will be elevated as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4. When elevated it may be moved slidably from the position of engagement of its base with the loop portion 34 of the spring clip arm 23 to a position Ywherein its base is disposed underneath the curved portion 33 as shown in Figs; 2 and 4. The spacing of the spring clip arm from the disc is such that the fastener is held releasably at either of these positions, Vto wit, the idle position shownin Fig. l or the position of use shown in Figs. 3 and 4. VIt would also appear that the fastener is permitted a floating slidable movement in any direction when supported at the elevated position shown in Figs. 3 and Ll. It will furthermore appear that when the fastener is disposed as shown in Fig. l it isarranged substantially within the thickness of the panel board.

reversal of the construction shown in Figs. lY

Fig. 6 illustrates a different type of construction wherein the base is flattened as at e5. The arms rise from the base as shown and the base portion 46 is readily receivable between the sp-ring clip arm 28 and the disc.

In Fig. '7 there is illustrated another modified form of construction wherein the fastener itself is formed of ribbon stock or sheet metal. It has a base 48. The ends are bent upwardly forming wing portions 5l) and the arms are turned inwardly asat 52 to partially overlie these wing portions and then are bent to form the spring arms 54 that are adapted to be received within the aperture of the supporting frame. It is apparent that this fastener may be secured to the disc in the same manner as the fastener shown in Figs. 1 to 4. Each of these modifications illustrate a construction which is adapted to assume the position shown in Fig. 1 or to assume the position shown in Fig. 4 and which will releasably hold either position and which has universal floating movement with respect to the panel.

The aperture I8 may have such a width, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3 that when the fastener is laid down therein, the wide portion of the fastener engages the side walls of the aperture snugly enough to frictionally hold the fastener in the down position while the fastener is readily adaptable to be raised to its position of use` What I claim: y

1. A trim panel comprising a foundation board having covering material extending over its front face and having a recess open to the rear face of the board, a fastener retainer permanently secured to the panel having a fastener holding element disposed within said recess within the thickness of the board, said holding element having one fastener engaging portion disposed substantially centrally of said recess and a second fastener engaging portion disposed adjacent the margin of said recess, a fastener for securing said panel to a supporting structure engaged with said fastener holding element within said. recess and slidw ably movable from the marginal fastener engaging portion thereof to the central fastener engaging portion thereof and pivotally movable at the marginal fastener engaging portion thereof to fold flat within said recess substantially within the thickness of the foundation board.

2'. A trim panel comprising a foundation board having a recess within the thickness thereof open to the rear face of the board, a fastener 'retainer plate permanently secured to the panel bridging said recess on the front face of the board and provided with a fastener holding element disposed Wholly within said recess, said holding element having one fastener engaging portion disposed adjacent to the margin of the recess and a second fastener engaging portion disposed remote from the margin of the recess, a fastener for securing said panel to a supporting structure pivotally connected with the marginal fastener engaging portion of said holding element within said recess for swinging movement to a folded position lying substantially within the thickness of the foundation board, said fastener being slidably connected with said holding element for slidable movement from the marginal fastener engaging portion thereof to the fastener engaging portion remote from the margin of the recess.

3. A trim panel comprising a foundation board having a recess within the thickness thereof open to the rear face of the board, a fastener retainer permanently secured to the board and having a fastener holding element disposed within said recess and extending transversely thereof, said holding element having one fastener engaging portion adjacent to the margin of the recess and a second fastener engaging portion remote from the margin of the recess, a fastener for securing said panel to a supporting structure slidably connected with said holding element within said recess for resisted slidable movement from one fastener engaging portion thereof to the other fastener engaging portion of said element, said fastener being pivotally coupled with the holding element in the marginal fastener engaging por'- tion thereof to fold at Within said recess and being coupled with the holding element in the fastener engaging portion thereof remote from the margin of the recess to be supported to project out of said recess. normal to the plane of the board.

HERBERT J. WOODALL.

Cil 

